Silver-containing compounds and pure silver are typically applied to a substrate through coating, plating or layering. An example of such applications is the electrode plating of switches on pressure-sensitive modules and control panels. This process of plating is used on components for appliances such as microwave and conventional ovens. In the field of semiconductor fabrication art, silver plating is applied to silicon and germanium semiconductor wafers as silver metalizations. Further, silver coatings have been applied to polyester, polycarbonate, vinyl, ceramic and glass substrates.
The predominant approach for applying silver to a substrate involves depositing a solvent-based silver solution on the substrate, and subsequently chemically or thermally curing the solution, thus evaporating the solvent. The result of this process is to leave a solid silver plating on the substrate.
This approach suffers from numerous disadvantages. One important concern is the toxicity of the solvents currently utilized during the conventional process. These solvents require careful handling, specialized disposal facilities and techniques. As a result, the costs associated with the use of these toxic solvents are exceedingly high. The workers who handle these toxic solvents open themselves up to substantial health hazards even with strict adherence to the safety guidelines concerning handling and disposal. Another disadvantage is the difficulty of predicting the uniformity and thickness of the resultant silver plating after the solvent has evaporated. As a result, the quality and performance of the coating varies widely.
Accordingly, there exists a need to provide safe silver coating compositions which exhibit improved appearance and durability. Additionally, there is a need to provide a method of applying an improved composition which furthers the goals of safety and improved performance.